Spring Jewelry

Last week, we had our usual burst of February sunshine.  I had some business to attend to on the Coast, so couldn't resist staying a few days to enjoy the great weather!  It was crazy to see people in shorts in Oregon in Febrary.  It was more like a May day!  Mom was with me, so we drove up to Astoria to have lunch at our favorite restaurant, The Urban Cafe!

This week, I'm making up for lost time, creating spring designs for my Etsy shops.  There are so many fun beads on the market.  It's been hard to choose and stay focused.  I thought I'd share some of my favorites before posting and taking them to shops. 

Vintage is still really popular, especially with Cabochon flowers and filigree lockets.

There's also a trend towards a more modern looks, with brushed gold and silver and simple faceted stones.

Of course, charm bracelets are always popular, especially if you're a gardener like me.

Girls Just Gotta Have Fun

With temps soaring into the 90's in town, it was a nice escape to head for the soothing breezes at the beach. My friend Barb, and I took off for a girls shopping excursion on Oregon's North Coast. We visited some old friends, Les Femmes de L'Ocean and found some new places of interest. My favorite was the Yankee Trader, on Hwy. 101 in Gearhart, where we found this charming display of boot planters for sale.
couldn't resist posting this sign

As you can see, we were having too much fun, and haven't even gone inside yet! Carrie, the owner of Yankee Trader, makes these incredible 'cakes' made of plaster and Styrofoam, and decorates them with themes-Easter, Wedding, Halloween, Christmas, etc. They're pretty incredible.

Carrie also has themed vignettes all over the store that are pretty amazing! I must have driven by her store hundreds of times, and had no idea what was inside.

After stopping for a quick cup of coffee at Columbia River Coffee Roasters in Astoria, and purchasing several bags of their yummy Saddle Mountain Coffee Beans, we were off for more shopping and lunch at Pacific Way Cafe in Gearhart. The cafe was so quaint and European looking, that I wanted to take some photos, but we were there during the busy lunch time. The cafe has an extensive menu, but we settled for sharing a sandwich and a cup of soup, knowing we would be having a BBQ with the guys later.


Gearhart reminds me so much of the East Coast...flower baskets are everywhere!

Another of our favorite shopping places is the Pacific Crest Cottage in Gearhart. The front of the store is so quaint.

It was fun to come back to the beach house and paint a scene in our Travel Journals.
Finally, we had to stop at another favorite shop, Fitzgeralds, where you'll find beautiful home decor items.
There's a 7 Dee's Nursery next door, and everything was in bloom. I had to put the camera down long enough to check out their terrific selection of succulents.